The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-09-16
The Siege Of tho Alamo.

The Siege Of tho Alamo.
"Thermopyln had its messenger OF
death; not one had the Alamo"
In this terse and expressive way OF
some Southern writer concludes a
graphic account of one OF the most
thrilling episodes in American history
the siege OF the Alamo.
Col. r. l.. Crompton. OF Roxbury,
Mass, is probably the only Ameri-
a who was an eyewitness OF that
fearful struggle and from whom were
obtained tho facts on which this arti.
Gle is founded. He left his
Massachusetts home IN The
winter of 1884, to hunt fortune
in the West. He started for
Lexington, KY, but fell in with a
band bound for Texas to join Col.
Travis, then near San Antonio de
Bexar. He decided to cast his lot in
the struggle for Texan independence.
The party was made up largely of
young and fiery Kentuckians and Ten
nesseeans, some OF them hardly more
than boys. Many exciting incidents
marked their journey, but they final
ly reached the great Lone Star State.
Young Compton at once enlisted un-
der Col. Milan.
GAS soon as we had gathered suhi.
Gent strength" he said, in tell
ing the rest OF the story, 1--WE at
tackled the Mexican forces in San An
tonic. They far outnumbered us, and
a desperate struggle ensued. For days
We fought in the streets and among
the adobe houses, each one of which
was a miniature fortress. With picks
and spades we dug our way through
the walls from house to house. The
fight for the Veremlnda house was
fierce and bloody, but at last wedrove
the Mexicans out and took posses
sion.
"Our triumph was soon turned to
mourning. On that very day Milan,
our beloved leader, fell dead, shot by
a Mexican who lay concealed behind
a wall on the opposite side OF the San
Antonio river. We did not retain
the house long, as the advance of
Santa Anna compelled ns to with
draw, leaving Travis with less than
$50 men to garrison the place.
II shall never forget the day when
young Maverick dashed into our
camp with the news that Travisk, re-
fusing to retreat, was shut up in the
Alamo and surrounded by an over
whelming force: while Houston was so
weak he could not come to the rescue.
81 started off to join the imprisoned
band. 1t vast hopeless undertaking,
as l soon found when l got a bullet in
me. crawled away in the darkness.
/ A Mexican whom had beiriended dur.
ing our occupation OF the city eener-
ously a"retl to conceal me in his
house. A narrow window command.
ed ar excellent view Of onefront OF the
Alamo wall, and from this point l
could see nearly all ofthat memorable
struggle.
"Day after day the Mexican fire
was kept up, and time after time were
their storming columns hurled against
the old church wall, which formed the
Texan rampant. But nothing could
disturb the defenders. At the close
of each day the Lone Star flag foated
as proudly, and, apparently, as
securely as ever from the roof OF the
mission. The Mexican losses were
fearful. Their clumsy escopetas were
no match for the long Hawkins rifles.
Hundreds fell every day, but they
were little missed from that over.
whelming host, while every man OF the
garrison who died was an ir~eparable
loss. The line along the wall grew
very thin. Still there was no
thought OF surrender. At length, when
poor handful to halt its original
numbers, the Mexicans effected a
Judgment on an uudefended part OF
the wall. Instantly they poured In
by hundreds.
"Although there vas now no hope
OF success, the brave Texans fought
as steadily and as firmly as on the
first day OF the siege. From room to
room went the fight. The puny Mex
leans learned by bitter experience the
deadly power OF bowie knives and
dubbed rifles in the hands OF desper-
ate Americans. But human endur-
ance has its limits. At length Santa
Anna was master OF the Alamo, but
not until the last American lay cold
in death. From my window
could hear the shouts and yells and
see the struggling figures.
"When all was over begged my host
togo into the Alamo and bring me news
of all that had occurred. He came
back i'll an hour or two, and said that
such a shambles never had been seer
before. The dead were heaped in wild
confusion throughout the building
The cutters fairly ran with blood. In
a room on the ground floor was the
corpse of Col. Bowie. He had beer
butchered upon his sick bed, Not ia,
from him was found the brave and co
centric Davy Crockett. But the most
%sickening sight was in a small room
in the upper story, where the gallant
Travis lay, a CHASTITY wound On his
forehead. Strewn around him were
the corpses of fifteen Mexicans, who
died by his hand. OF the Texans not
one survived, but they did not die un
avenged. No less than sixteen hun
dred Mexioans fell before less than on.
hundred and fifty Americans."-New
York Commercial Advertiser.